2. Meditation on the Day’s Psalm

Psalm 108:1-6, 12-13

With God We Shall Do Valiantly

A Song. A Psalm of David.

108 My heart is steadfast, O God!I will sing and make melody with all my being![a]2 Awake, O harp and lyre!I will awake the dawn!3 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples;I will sing praises to you among the nations.4 For your steadfast love is great above the heavens;your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!Let your glory be over all the earth!6 That your beloved ones may be delivered,give salvation by your right hand and answer me!

12 Oh grant us help against the foe,for vain is the salvation of man!13 With God we shall do valiantly;it is he who will tread down our foes.

Luke 2:21-40

21 And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Jesus Presented at the Temple

22 And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”)24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.”25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law,28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,

29 “Lord, now you are letting your servant[a] depart in peace,according to your word;30 for my eyes have seen your salvation31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles,and for glory to your people Israel.”

33 And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him.34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed35 (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

36 And there was a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years, having lived with her husband seven years from when she was a virgin,37 and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.[b] She did not depart from the temple, worshiping with fasting and prayer night and day.38 And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

The Return to Nazareth

39 And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth.40 And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him.

You might need to pull up Google to understand this bio for Rev. Jonathan Fisk. If you ask him what he has in his favorite mug, it’s probably Bulletproof coffee with Matcha Tea. This native West Coaster keeps two chickens, Arrakis and Shai Hulud, but if he cooks for you, you’ll get to taste his famous curry. Although his bookshelf is full of theological books, you’ll most likely find him reading Herman Sasse. When he’s not cranking out programming and interviewing guests, you might find him in jeans and flip flops writing his next bit of fiction or finding the next island he’d like to explore.